Latest news with #KeepCaliforniaRolling
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hollywood's Show Of Force: Over 100,000 Letters Of Support Sent To CA Lawmakers Ahead Of Key Hearings On Expanded Film & TV Tax Credit Proposal
EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood workers have committed to a show of force ahead of key hearings this week for the California legislation aimed at expanding and amending the state's Film and Television Tax Credit Program. Deadline understands that more than 100,000 letters have been sent to Sacramento in support of SB630 and AB1138, which would not only allocate $750M annually in tax incentives for production in the state but also redefine and broaden eligibility for the program. More from Deadline Ben Affleck Says California Took Film & TV Industry For Granted Menendez Brothers Resentencing Now Off Until Next Month As Lawyers & Judge Look Over Parole Board Report Ordered By Gavin Newsom Judge Denies L.A. DA Motion To Delay Menendez Brothers' Resentencing Hearing; Defense Lawyer Accuses Prosecution Of Playing Politics With Case 'The letters are really the indication of the depth and commitment to moving this forward, to letting our elected officials know how important this is to our state and to the working people in this industry,' Rebecca Rhine, Entertainment Union Coalition President and Directors Guild of America Western Executive Director, told Deadline. 'We're at a tipping point here…This funding and this legislation to make the program more competitive is so critical to working families in California.' The initiative was led by the Entertainment Union Coalition as part of its Keep California Rolling campaign, which has been lobbying for the passage of SB630 and AB1138. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the sister bills will go before their respective committees for a vote that could send them to the larger legislature for approval. The letters urge key members of the Senate's Revenue & Taxation Committee as well as the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee to vote the bills out of committee this week in order to put workers one step closer to being able to 'continue to contribute and work where I live.' 'I don't want to change careers, and I don't want to leave the state,' the sample text for the letter, which is embedded in full below, reads. 'What I want is the opportunity to work where I live and to continue to be a part of the most vibrant creative community in the world. This iconic industry that has made California home for 100 years. It has been good for my family and good for our state. When our Industry thrives, California thrives.' The letter also attempts to illustrate the hardship that many production workers have endured over the last several years, made even worse by the exodus of production to other territories. As their financial incentives have expanded, California's has remained stagnant. 'I feel like we have done everything we can to make elected leaders understand what this bill does, which is retain jobs for Californians, and why it's so important what our industry brings to the state,' Rhine added. This is a positive sign for the active legislation, which California lawmakers began weighing last month. Governor Gavin Newsom first announced his proposed plans to up the program's funding from $330M annually to $750M annually in October and, if passed, it will be second in the country only to Georgia, which does not have a cap on its production incentives. Some state lawmakers hope the program's revamp will breathe some much-needed life into California's once-bustling film and TV industry, while others expressed some skepticism over whether more than doubling the incentive cap is the most productive use of those funds within the state budget. However, sources tell Deadline that this is an incredibly high priority for Newsom and, while passing these bills may ultimately require some wrangling given the current political realities in the United States, he is very determined that this will happen. The Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee will vote on AB1138 during a hearing Tuesday at 9 a.m. The Senate Revenue & Taxation Committee are scheduled for a vote on SB630 Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. The full letter is below. Dear Chairs Ward, McNerney, Gipson, and Committee Members,My name is **NAME** and I am one of the 165,000 union members of the Entertainment Union Coalition who works in California's motion picture and television industry. I am not just a statistic; I am a Californian who needs your support.I have worked in this industry for **NUMBER** years. I pay taxes, support local businesses, raise my family, engage in my community, and have always been proud of my work and my contribution to making this great State. That's why I am a supporter of the modernization of the California Film and Television Jobs Program in AB 1138 and SB 630. I want to continue to contribute and work where I the past several years, we have hit very hard times. Jobs are scarce for those of us who have spent decades building our careers and for those of us who are just trying to ' break in.' Industry vendors, large and small, are shutting down across California and once that infrastructure is gone it can't be rebuilt. Those lucky enough to find work in some instances must leave home for months at a time to support themselves and their families. All because production work is leaving California, lured away by other states and countries that understand how valuable our industry is to their industry has drastically changed over the 11 years since the original California Film and Television Jobs Act was passed. But both the funding and the program structure have not changed enough to remain we have the opportunity to do that right now.I don't want to change careers, and I don't want to leave the state. What I want is the opportunity to work where I live and to continue to be a part of the most vibrant creative community in the world. This iconic industry that has made California home for 100 years. It has been good for my family and good for our state. When our Industry thrives, California vote Yes for AB 1138 and SB need your Dominic Patten contributed to this report. Best of Deadline 'The Last Of Us': Differences Between HBO Series & Video Game Across Seasons 1 And 2 'Ransom Canyon' Book Vs. 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Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Grassroots Efforts Take Aim at Keeping Production in California
Much has been said about production moving away from California and even out of the country over the last few years. Many put it on rising costs and contraction related to streaming overtaking broadcast and cable, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2023 strikes, but one of the biggest problems is the lack of tax benefits productions in California are given, particularly in Los Angeles, the supposed entertainment hub of the world. As of now, the state caps its film tax credit program at $330 million annually. Compared to Georgia, which has no cap and spent more than $1 billion in 2024 subsidizing production, or New York, which offers $700 million in tax breaks annually, California's financial incentives are paltry at best. However, Governor Newsom is working to change that. In October 2024, the Democrat announced he and others, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, would be pushing to more than double the current allotment, bringing the cap up to $750 million a year. At the time, he described the lack of California production as a 'legitimate crisis' and implored an action that was 'meaningful, not just intentional.' Despite the appeal, in the aftermath of the Southern California wildfires and the money that will need to be spent rebuilding, legislators in Sacramento may need further convincing as to why such a huge block of funds should be put aside for the arts. More from IndieWire James Cameron Worries 'America Doesn't Stand for Anything' Under Trump and Is Working Toward New Zealand Citizenship Kate Hudson Thinks the Role of the Critic 'Has Changed' Since Her Early Rom-Com Days Leading this effort, the Entertainment Union Coalition — made up of the WGAW, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, Teamster Local 399, AFM, California IATSE Council, and LIUNA Local 724 — announced the launch of the 'Keep California Rolling' campaign this past Thursday, February 27. Their intention is to both gather support for protecting, preserving, and creating jobs in the film and television industry across all of California and to educate new legislators, budget committee members, and other elected officials to guarantee they vote for the increase in the 2025-2026 budget that'll be approved this summer. Beginning this upcoming week, the EUC will commence its lobbying efforts, but it's not the only group trying to shine a light on this cause. Julie Plec, co-creator of 'The Vampire Diaries' and 'The Girls on the Bus,' and Sarah Adina Smith, an indie filmmaker and one of the directors on HBO's upcoming 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,' have come together to draft the 'Stay in L.A.' petition on January 23. Their proposal is to call for 'emergency measures' to be taken in combatting California production stagnation and (per The Hollywood Reporter) have put together a list of steps individuals can take to promote this initiative. They read as follows: 1. Support Gov. Gavin Newsom's $750 million budget cap raise on the incentive and urge him to temporarily uncap the incentive for three years in L.A. County as part of efforts to rebuild after the fires. 2. Educate legislators in Sacramento that a more competitive incentive is about job creation and isn't simply a 'corporate handout.' As of August, the unemployment rate in the film and TV sector reached 12.5 percent, marking the industry's highest August unemployment rate since at least 2000, excluding the pandemic period. This rate is nearly triple the national average. 3. Raise the tax incentive amount to 30 percent for both films and television shows. This number is the bare minimum to make California competitive. Offer an additional 5 percent for any film below $10 million to encourage more independent films to shoot in California. 4. Support a bill funding postproduction that is not contingent upon shooting in state. New York has this, the U.K. has this … and it's why their postproduction businesses are booming and L.A.'s is hurting. The postproduction carve-out should include music for film and TV scores, too. 5. Consider a new bill targeting commercial and music video production, which has also plummeted. Shortform production is how many cast and crewmembers make ends meet between TV or film gigs. 6. Lift restrictions on shooting outside and in public spaces in L.A. (emulating NYC's successful program) and offer a temporary reduction in permit fees in conjunction with loosening up notification requirements to reduce FilmLA's staffing costs. 7. Neighborhood councils can create film-friendly corridors and residential zones. The county can offer discounted property taxes for all who participate. 8. The city and county can offer unused or underused property as free 'base camps' for production. Create an easy-to-use map of all these areas. 9. Waive or defer L.A. city tax on productions and consider a city ordinance temporarily capping location fees to combat price gouging and to make it easier for productions to afford to shoot. 10. Perhaps most crucially, studios and streamers must do their part by pledging to shoot more in L.A. County, demonstrating a commitment to rebuilding after the fires. To sign Plec and Smith's 'Stay in L.A.' petition and learn more, click here. To learn more about the 'Keep California Rolling' campaign and how you can help, click here. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Entertainment Union Coalition Launches ‘Keep California Rolling' Campaign To Bolster State's Film & TV Jobs
The Entertainment Union Coalition has launched a campaign aimed at keeping film and TV jobs in California, marking the latest in a series of moves from both lawmakers and Hollywood workers to reinforce the state's production industry. Keep California Rolling is a labor-led initiative, described to Deadline as the unions' answer to Stay in LA, another similar initiative led by some of the industry's biggest stars as well as top film and TV writers and producers. More from Deadline California Lawmakers Introduce Bills To "Modernize" Film & TV Tax Credit Program In Conjunction With Newsom's Proposed Expansion WGA East Slams MSNBC's "Mass Layoffs" As 99 Staffers Brace For Impact Amid Network Shakeup WGA West President Meredith Stiehm Calls On Studios To Sue AI Companies, Takes Aim At Trump At Guild Awards: "We Do Not Cower In The Face Of Bullies" Its main goal will be to urge the state to explore more ways to rework its current jobs-based incentive program to attract production back to the state, in addition to supporting Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to expand the California Film & TV Tax Credit from $330M annually to $750M. On March 5, nearly 100 workers from across the Entertainment Union Coalition's member entities will travel to Sacramento to lobby lawmakers on the jobs-based program. Among those represented will be the American Federation of Musicians, California IATSE Council, Directors Guild of America, LiUNA! Local 724, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters Local 399, and the Writers Guild of America West. 'California's entertainment industry sustains hundreds of thousands of middle-class jobs across every sector and in every corner the state,' EUC President and Directors Guild of America Western Executive Director Rebecca Rhine said in a statement. 'It's essential that the expansion of the Film & TV tax credit program prioritizes workers rather than corporate profits. The EUC fully supports the governor's proposal, marking the most significant expansion to the program in decades, but we must ensure it delivers on its promise: keeping production, and the jobs it creates, right here in California, where workers and their families can thrive in their own communities.' The announcement of Keep California Rolling comes one day after state lawmakers introduced a pair of bills that are meant to 'amend, update, and modernize' the current Film & TV Tax Credit Program, sponsored by Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Isaac Bryan. Details on how the program might be reshaped were not revealed yet, but Chavez Zbur vowed it would include 'expanding the kinds of productions that qualify for the program, again, focusing on those productions which we are losing and that provide the best jobs.' Newsom's proposed expansion of the tax credit is also not yet set in stone, given California's 2025-26 budget is still being negotiated, though it still seems very likely to be approved. Hollywood workers have been sounding an alarm for several decades on the loss of production jobs in California, particularly as other territories have begun offering more financial incentives for film and TV production. Several jurisdictions have no caps on their subsidies, including Georgia, Ontario and the UK. In an impact report released Thursday, the Entertainment Union Coalition says that from 2015 to 2020, about 50% of the 312 productions that did not qualify for California's tax credit incentive relocated to another area, resulting in an approximate loss of 28,000 jobs and $7.7B in economic activity. Local concerns have only grown over the last few years as work became even more scarce due to work stoppages from a global pandemic and historically, long dual strikes, followed by a massive, global contraction in production spending. According to a recent report from FilmLA, production in Los Angeles was down more than 30% over five-year averages in 2024. The Entertainment Union Coalitions report also makes the case for the impact of the film and television industry beyond just direct job loss, illustrating how production supports tourism, hospitality, and more local industries in California. Per a 2023 report from the Motion Picture Association, the U.S. film and television industry alone supports more than 2 million jobs and contributes over $180B in total wages, encompassing 122,000 businesses nationwide. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery How To Watch The 2025 Oscars Online And On TV How Jon Gries' Return To 'The White Lotus' Could Shape Season 3
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Entertainment Union Coalition Launches Keep California Rolling Campaign: ‘The Future of Film and TV Production is Not Guaranteed'
The Entertainment Union Coalition has launched 'Keep California Rolling,' a labor-led campaign to ensure that jobs remain the key priority in the proposed expansion to California's Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The launch of the campaign follows Governor Gavin Newsom's recent proposal to double the state's incentive program from $330 million to $750 million annually, a critical move to curb the flight of film and television production out of California. DGA western executive director and President of the Entertainment Union Coalition Rebecca Rhine is leading a series of calls to action. 100 workers from the EUC's member unions and guilds – including the American Federation of Musicians, California IATSE Council, Directors Guild of America, LiUNA! Local 724, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters Local 399, and Writers Guild of America West – will travel to Sacramento next month advocating for a jobs-based incentive program that attracts production back to California and strengthens local and state economies. Speaking with Variety, Rhine stressed the urgency of the situation calling it 'critical.' She said, 'We have a historic industry in California, that is really at risk. Sometimes we forget that the future of film and television production in California is not a guarantee.' She added, 'Think about the automobile and aerospace industry, those were deeply rooted in communities and that did not stop the erosion and ultimately the departure of those industries.' By speaking with the state legislators, Rhine said education was paramount. 'It's explaining why this is different than what they may perceive it is. The second is to make them understand who these jobs are for. These are not Hollywood stars who are making millions of dollars. These are not the high-paid people in our industry – they benefit because they too live here, and they too want to work at home, but the jobs that are credited in this bill are the construction crews, laborers, the 13 IA locals, drivers, location managers and extras.' Rhine pointed out the 40% drop in production in the state, and the loss of jobs is reason for sounding the alarm before it's too late. 'What we can't have is this workforce hollowed out and destroyed if we want this industry to thrive in California.' In advocating for the program, the EUC's goal is to make sure that jobs are the center of anything that is passed in the expansion of the program. Rhine hopes to educate legislators on the secondary implications of what this work loss means and the impact it has on small businesses that are ancillary to this industry: the caterers, dry cleaners, event planners and beyond. She said, 'It's about our industry driving tourism to this state which brings in billions of dollars, but at its core, it's about, how we acknowledge and protect an industry that is so integral to the state's economy.' Aside from educating and providing resources, Rhine said the campaign would work to highlight what needs to be done to make the incentive 'more competitive, structural changes, administrative changes. We are open to those conversations, and we will have them, but at the end of the day, whatever we agree to has to produce work for real human beings.' She noted, 'It's essential that the expansion of the Film & TV tax credit program prioritizes workers rather than corporate profits. The EUC fully supports the governor's proposal, marking the most significant expansion to the program in decades, but we must ensure it delivers on its promise: keeping production, and the jobs it creates, right here in California, where workers and their families can thrive in their own communities.' The campaign also launched its website to provide resources and mobilize workers across the industry in the fight for jobs. Resources for the California Film & Television Jobs Program Impact Report prepared by the EUC are also available. Said Rhine, 'When our industry thrives, it adds to California thriving.' She added, The unions have all come together in an unprecedented way. We added additional unions recently to the EUC, and everybody is on the same page. This is the first. This is the moment, and we want our members to know that this is what their unions stand for.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Entertainment Union Coalition to Lobby in Sacramento as Part of Tax Credit Expansion Campaign
As efforts ramp up in Sacramento to expand California's film and TV production tax incentive program, the Entertainment Union Coalition (EUC) has launched a new campaign that will rally Hollywood labor to lobby for the expansion. The new program, titled 'Keep California Rolling,' is kicking off in advance of the Oscars and will have its first major action on March 5, when 100 union workers will travel with EUC leaders to Sacramento. The workers will lobby members of the state legislature to support Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed expansion of the tax credit program from $330 million to $750 million. 'California's entertainment industry sustains hundreds of thousands of middle-class jobs across every sector and in every corner the state,' said EUC President and Directors Guild of America Western Executive Director Rebecca Rhine. The Entertainment Union Coalition includes all of the top entertainment unions in California, including WGA West, SAG-AFTRA, the Directors Guild, Hollywood Teamsters 399, the California IATSE Council, LiUNA 724 and the American Federation of Musicians. Workers from all member unions are expected to attend the lobbying session in Sacramento. 'It's essential that the expansion of the Film & TV tax credit program prioritizes workers rather than corporate profits,' she continued. 'The EUC fully supports the governor's proposal, marking the most significant expansion to the program in decades, but we must ensure it delivers on its promise: keeping production, and the jobs it creates, right here in California, where workers and their families can thrive in their own communities.' The launch of 'Keep California Rolling' comes a day after several Los Angeles-based state lawmakers unveiled a pair of bills, Assembly Bill 1138 and Senate Bill 630, intended to make significant changes to the tax credit program. Details of those bills are still forthcoming pending meetings between the bill's authors and major stakeholders — including the EUC and Hollywood studios — but a major expected change is a drastic expansion of the types of productions that would be eligible for tax credits. This could possibly include categories like reality TV, which saw a near 46% year-over-year decline in shoot days in Los Angeles, according to FilmLA. '77% of the projects that are unable to secure a tax credit here in the state end up going elsewhere. These are productions that wanted to do the work here,' State Sen. Ben Allen said Wednesday. 'This has led to a loss of nearly a billion dollars in production spending which leads to lost jobs, lost economic gains.' The post Entertainment Union Coalition to Lobby in Sacramento as Part of Tax Credit Expansion Campaign appeared first on TheWrap.
